


Tankery Together: Jack's Story

by BestLemon



Category: Girls und Panzer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27843418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BestLemon/pseuds/BestLemon
Summary: When the rules are changed to allow boys to compete in tankery, the headmistress of St. Gloriana Girls College invites St. Thomas' Academy to share their ship. Add in the new single-crew tournament and there is a lot of excitement about tankery - both good and bad. In the middle of these crazy times, Darjeeling gets a surprise from her past.
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue: Winds Of Change

**Author's Note:**

> What is up, Lemonheads? This is my first fanfic, so please feel free to comment! Posting twice a week on Wednesday and Saturday!
> 
> Sadly, I do not own Girls Und Panzer, nor any of its characters.

Prologue: Winds Of Change

“Registration is down for the third year in a row,” the Senshado Federation Director sighed.  
“But why?” the MEXT representative fretted. “Every school has run a promotional feature on it. We’ve spent record amounts on advertising. And still fewer girls sign up than did last year?”  
“Perhaps some changes are in order,” suggested the director. “There are one or two things I’ve wished to try.”  
“Such as?”  
“For example, we could run a single-crew tournament concurrent with the standard tournament. Perhaps that would draw more attention.”  
The representative considered this idea. It certainly had merit. It also carried a rather lucrative title: the best crew in the nation. Nodding his head, the representative could see the appeal of such a plan.  
“That could work,” the representative agreed. “Any other ideas?”  
The director hesitated. His next idea wasn’t going to go so smoothly. He had brought it up before, only to be instantly shot down. But now he had back-up. Add that to the fact that they were getting desperate, and he felt he had a slight chance now.  
“There’s always…that.”  
A pregnant silence followed the director’s statement. In some ways, it was worse than immediate rejection. It gave him time to see the bewildered expression on the representative’s face. but it wasn’t a “no”. At least, not yet.  
“We’ve already had this discussion,” the representative said. “I believe some very clear sentiments were shared then.”  
“Sentiments which have changed,” the director replied, presenting two letters. “They see this as a sure-fire solution to our predicament. And this is their written approval. You know how difficult it is to get those two to agree on anything.”  
The letters the director held were from the heads of the Shimada and Nishizumi families. The representative took the letters and read them carefully. after a while, he put them down with a sigh of defeat.  
“Fine, have it your way,” he conceded. “Let the boys ride tanks.”


	2. 1. Falling Cards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Girls Und Panzer

Chapter One: Falling Cards

There are moments in our lives when all we can do is wait to see how the cards fall. That feeling of anticipation and helplessness that comes after the winds of change have passed. We’ve all experienced it.  
That was how Darjeeling was feeling. The federation had recently introduced a new rule change allowing boys to compete in tankery. This inspired the headmistress of St. Gloriana’s to invite a co-ed academy to share the ship. The winds of change had ripped through Darjeeling’s world with the force of a hurricane. And she could only watch to see the results.  
One result was another tankery team aboard the ship. Since St. Thomas’ Academy, the school they were hosting, was already co-ed, it was a simple matter to implement the rule change. However, it seemed it was taken a step beyond simple acceptance. Rumor had it that the commander was a boy.  
Captain Jack.  
That name reverberated in Darjeeling’s head like cathedral bells. She remembered a childhood friend named Jack. He had always shown an interest in tankery. But she had suddenly lost contact with him. With a heavy sigh, Darjeeling tried to stomp out the spark of hope that flickered in her heart. This was real life, not some sappy romance novel like the ones Assam would read. It simply didn’t work that way.  
“Miss Darjeeling?”  
She raised her head to see Orange Pekoe standing by her, concerned.  
“Yes?” Darjeeling asked.  
“Are you alright? I called your name three times, and you haven’t touched your tea,” Orange Pekoe fretted.  
“Forgive me, Orange Pekoe. I have had much on my mind recently.” She mentally scolded herself for getting so distracted. “Did you need something?”  
“Yes. The headmistress would like you to visit St. Thomas’ tankery team in the garage and help them settle in.”  
“Very well. Would you care to join me?”  
“Of course, Miss Darjeeling.”

**********

The garage was vibrant and full of life. St. Thomas’ Academy had some intriguing tanks, something Darjeeling noticed as she searched for this “Captain Jack”. They seemed to be a composite of British and American tanks. She couldn’t help but wonder which doctrine the team followed.  
“The report said the commander’s tank was a Sherman Firefly, correct?” Darjeeling asked Orange Pekoe.  
“I believe so,” she responded.  
The report they were referring to was provided to the headmistress of St. Gloriana’s by the headmaster of St. Thomas’. It detailed the tanks that were to be stored in the garage: a Sherman Firefly, four Centurion Mk. I’s, four M4A3E2 Sherman “Jumbo”s, six M26 Pershings, six Cromwells, eight M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight”s, and one mystery tank classified as a “school secret”. This drew the attention of everyone, and there were many rumors going about as to just what that tank was.  
As the two ladies approached the Firefly, they noticed the crew gathered around it. Two boys and a girl stood by the tank, and the legs of another poked out of the engine compartment. The girl and one of the boys appeared to be in the middle of an argument, which was nothing new judging by the remaining boy’s reactions.  
“…something in the transmission, I can feel it!” claimed a blonde-haired boy with an Irish accent. “She’s pushing against me every time I shift!”  
“I think you just need to learn how to drive properly!” the girl retorted.  
Based on the matching blonde hair and Irish accent, Darjeeling assumed the two were siblings. Before she could announce herself, the other boy noticed her.  
“Hello miss,” he said. “I assume you’re looking for Jack?” When Darjeeling nodded, he turned and pounded the side of the tank. “Jack! You got a visitor!”  
A muffled “alright” and the legs began extracting themselves from the engine. Darjeeling’s suspicions returned when she heard that voice. It was muffled, and a bit lower than she remembered, but it had that familiar sensation to it. She was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she jumped when he landed next to her. Finally taking a good look at this “Captain Jack”, that flicker of hope from earlier quickly became a fire of friendship. The black hair, the warm hazel eyes, and the grease-stained but recognizable face.  
“Darjeeling? Is that really you?”  
It was Jack Jones, her childhood friend.

**********

“Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent.” Darjeeling was so stunned that she fell back to her habit of reciting quotes.  
“Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He also said ‘Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth’,” Jack replied.  
Orange Pekoe looked at Jack, surprised. His reaction time to Darjeeling’s strange quote habit was much faster than her own. Not only that, but he was able to provide a counter-quote! Just who was this boy?  
“Well, Jack,” the blonde girl interrupted, “you mind tellin’ us who this lass is?”  
“Ah, right!” Jack shook his head as though coming out of a trance. “This is Darjeeling, an old friend of mine. Darjeeling, this is Sara McNair, my loader; Scott McNair, my driver; and Jon Kelly, my gunner.” Jack looked at Orange Pekoe, realizing that Darjeeling wasn’t alone. “And you are?”  
“My name is Orange Pekoe,” she said.  
“Jack Jones. A pleasure to meet you.”  
“Now we all know each other and everyone’s friends,” Scott interrupted. “Now Jack, it was the transmission, right?”  
“Don’t be daft! It’s clearly your driving!” Sara argued.  
“Stop arguing,” Jack sighed. “You’re both right. There’s something wrong with the transmission, but you haven’t exactly been easy on it, Scott. Now get working on it. Both of you.”  
“Yessir!”  
Displaying coordination and teamwork befitting of siblings, the two scrambled up the side of the tank to begin repairs. Darjeeling honestly found it hard to believe they had been arguing just moments ago. It was a strange relationship they had, but Scott and Sara wouldn’t trade it for the world. While the two siblings were working on the tank, Jack waved over a brunette girl who was standing by a Sherman Jumbo.  
“Achilles,” Jack began, addressing the newcomer, “I have a meeting. Garage is yours.” Jack’s Second-In-Command nodded, and he turned back to Darjeeling. “I think we have a lot to catch up on.”  
Darjeeling nodded, agreeing with him. To say there was a lot to catch up on was an understatement. There was three years worth of uncertainty to clear.


	3. Team Roster

Special addition! This is the roster for St. Thomas' Academy Tankery Team! Please enjoy, and if you have any guesses about the "school secret", leave it in a review!

St. Thomas' Academy

Commander: Jack Jones

Second-In-Command: Achilles

Commander's Tank: Sherman Firefly (Callsign: Thumper)

Phalanx Squad (Centurion Mk. I)

Phalanx 1: Aphrodite (F)

Phalanx 2: Ares (M)

Phalanx 3: Artemis (F)

Phalanx 4: Hestia (F)

Jet Squad (Cruiser Mk. VIII Cromwell)

Jet 1: Spitfire (F)

Jet 2: Mustang (M)

Jet 3: Mitchell (M)

Jet 4: Lightning (F)

Jet 5: Corsair (F)

Jet 6: Enola (F)

Spartan Squad (M4A3E2 Sherman "Jumbo")

Spartan 1: Achilles (F)

Spartan 2: Perseus (M)

Spartan 3: Hercules (M)

Spartan 4: Odysseus (F)

State Squad (M4A3E8 Sherman "Easy Eight")

State 1: Utah (M)

State 2: California (F)

State 3: Dakota (F)

State 4: Carolina (F)

State 5: Maine (M)

State 6: Kentucky (M)

State 7: Mississippi (F)

State 8: Virginia (F)

President Squad (M26 Pershing)

President 1: Jefferson (F)

President 2: Washington (M)

President 3: Lincoln (F)

President 4: Truman (F)

President 5: Roosevelt (F)

President 6: Jackson (M)

School Secret

Callsign: Boomstick


	4. 2. Roses And Thorns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still don't own Girls Und Panzer, just in case anybody was wondering.

As Jack and Darjeeling walked away, Achilles glanced over at Jon with a curious face.

"Who was that?" she asked.

"Darjeeling," Jon answered. "Commander of St. Gloriana's. And an old friend of Jack's, apparently."

"So you're telling me that out of all the schools that do tankery, the one that extends us the invitation just so happens to be the school where Captain Jack is close with not just one, but two of the members of the tankery team? How…convenient."

Orange Pekoe, who had stayed behind to help St. Thomas' settle in, glanced up at that statement. Close with two? But she thought that her and Darjeeling were the first two to visit. Who else had come?

"Excuse me, you said that Captain Jack was close with two members of the team?" Orange Pekoe questioned, confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well," Jon began as he resumed working on the tank, "you two weren't the first to come down here. Almost as soon as we got out of the tank, this girl came running and practically tackled Jack in a hug."

"They definitely seemed very close," Achilles added, nodding. "She was running so fast that all I could see was a blur of pink hair."

"Pink hair?" Orange Pekoe knew only one person who had pink hair. "You don't mean Rosehip, do you?"

**********

"To be honest, Jack, I lost hope of seeing you again once I can over here," Darjeeling admitted.

Jack and darjeeling were now sitting in Darjeeling's office having tea. It was good to remember the time they had spent together. Reliving the shared memories affirmed to Darjeeling that this truly was her friend Jack sitting in front of her. But the ever-present question still loomed over her.

"Why, Jack? Why did you suddenly disappear?"

Jack's smile fell from his lips as he remembered what had happened. The day his life was completely changed. Darjeeling could feel the sadness emanating off of Jack, and almost regretted asking. But she had to know.

"There was an accident," Jack began. "A drunk driver was on the wrong side of the road and slammed into our car. Or so I was told. I only remember suddenly waking up in the hospital with a broken leg and a severe concussion. It was then that the nurse told me about my parents…"

Jack trailed off, emotions rising within him. However, Darjeeling didn't need Jack to finish the sentence for her to understand. She laid her hand over his to give some sort of comfort, tears in her eyes.

"Jack, I'm so sorry."

He nodded, then took a deep breath. "I was sent to my grandparents. I also lost my phone in the crash, so I couldn't contact you. So, now you know."

**********

"Why are there boys on the ship?"

"Did you hear that there's boys on the tankery team?"

"Boys and tanks? There's no way!"

In the seclusion of her Churchill Mk. VII, Darjeeling let out a heavy sigh. She had been hearing whispers like these all week. It would appear her team wasn't too keen on the idea of boys in tankery. And while it did take Darjeeling a while to accept this change, there were some who seemed to reject it, causing a stressful environment for her.

What added to her stress were the rumors going around about Jack and Rosehip. Apparently, she greeted Jack rather enthusiastically in the garage. Add that to the fact that they seemed to spend an unusual amount of time together, and people quickly came to conclusions.

Conclusions that made Rosehip a very easy target for some to vent their frustrations.

At first it was just mean looks. Then it escalated to sneers and snide remarks. Then rude comments. Darjeeling just hoped that it wouldn't grow into-

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash in the garage. Wondering if someone had dropped a shell, she began to climb out of her tank. As she did, the muffled voices outside became much clearer.

"…was that for?" Rosehip shouted.

"Are you upset? Why don't you cry to your boyfriend about it?"

Darjeeling knew who that voice belonged to. It was Grace. She had always been on the unsavory side, especially recently as she was the ringleader of the girls who rejected the rule change. Now she was physically bullying Rosehip. Just as Darjeeling feared would happen.

"Rosehip, are you alright?" Darjeeling asked, pushing her way through the circle of girls.

"Miss Darjeeling! Y-yeah, I'm fine. I just…tripped," Rosehip said, looking down.

"You're obviously not fine, sweetie. Why don't you come with me to my office and freshen up?"

Sending a significant glare at Grace, Darjeeling took Rosehip by the shoulder and escorted her to the office. On the way there, she sent Jack a message. She figured he'd want to know. He showed up while Rosehip was still in the bathroom.

"Thank you for telling me," Jack said, sitting down. "How long has this been happening?"

"About a week," Darjeeling responded.

They both turned their heads as Rosehip walked back in to the room. It was obvious that she had been crying. Jack's face softened as he saw her.

"Jack…" Rosehip whispered.

He held his arm out, and Rosehip quickly entered his embrace. For a moment, they stayed there as Rosehip gently sobbed. Jack spoke up, his voice calm and soothing.

"Why, Rose? Darjeeling says this has been going on for a week. Why did you never tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Jack," Rosehip replied. "I just didn't want to bother you. You had so much to focus on, and…and…I didn't want you to think I couldn't take care of myself."

That last part was spoken in barely more than a whisper. Yet it carried the weight of a shout. It was clear that Jack's opinion meant a lot to this girl.

"I don't mean to intrude," Darjeeling said, "but I can't help but wonder. What's going on between you two?"

"Well, you see," Jack began, "Rosehip and I are…"


	5. 3. Have You Ever Danced With A Firefly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, lemonheads! I'd like your help! Submit schools you would like St. Thomas' to face in the tournament! You may submit original schools as well as existing schools! Stay zesty!
> 
> I...don't own Girls Und Panzer *cries in a corner*

Chapter Three: Have You Ever Danced With A Firefly?

Darjeeling smirked as she watched the one-sided "friendly" match. Three Matilda Mk. II's against Jack's Firefly. The Matildas were commanded by Grace and her lackeys. It was only five minutes into the match, and it was already a complete trouncing. Such was the price of overconfidence.

They thought three against one were good odds.

They were very wrong.

Jack was toying with them. Staying out of range, moving every time he took a shot, and simply hiding. It was chaotic art.

Since it was three versus one, Grace allowed Jack to take a headstart. She thought she would be able to use simple search-and-destroy tactics against him. After all, he was a boy, and the Firefly was a large tank. How hard could this be?

A minute after they began the match, a single shot rang out. The Matilda to the right of Grace was quickly white-flagged. It was right then that Grace began to realize her problem. The Firefly could easy take them out while staying out of range. In fact, she had no idea where the shot even came from. Following her instincts, she trained her binoculars where she was certain the Firefly was.

Suddenly the left track was blown off of the other Matilda. Grace whirled around. That shot had definitely come from the other direction. But she could have sworn the Firefly was where she was looking. With a nervous gulp, she understood the exact message Jack was sending.

They were at his complete mercy.

-flashback-

"Rosehip and I are siblings."

It suddenly became crystal clear to Darjeeling. Of course they would spend a lot of tie together. Rosehip had been at St. Gloriana's for a year, and Jack was in his third year at St. Thomas'. Who knows how long it had been since they had seen each other. However, there was one thing that still bothered Darjeeling.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a sister when we were growing up?"

"Yeah, about that…" Jack glanced at his little sister, who had fallen asleep in his arms. "We…weren't exactly close back then. After the accident, though, we really only had each other. Now, she means more to me than life itself."

-end flashback-

"The other Matilda is trying to escape," Jon said as he peered through the sight.

"They've lost their driving privileges. Take out their tracks as well," Jack ordered.

Sara glanced at Jack as she reloaded the cannon. Although it was normal for him to be more serious while commanding the tank, something was different this time. He seemed colder. Not that she blamed him. Everyone knew what had happened.

"It's been ten minutes," Jack said, checking his watch. "I've made my point. Take them out."

The muzzle of the 17-pounder flashed twice, making quick work of the Matildas. The distinctive thump of the Firefly's cannon could be heard across the ship. The members of St. Thomas' smiled, knowing Thumper was hard at work.

Grace stared at the carnage around her. They were wiped out in a matter of minutes. Never again would she doubt Jack's ability.

**********

News of the match's results quickly spread around the ship. To think that a lone tank, commanded by a boy, could utterly decimate three Matildas was surprising. Even Darjeeling was rather impressed.

Grace quickly apologized once they were back in the garage. Rosehip accepted the apology, and the two parted ways. There weren't exactly friends now, but at least they weren't enemies.

Jack smiled as he glanced at his sister, who was sleeping on the couch in his office. She had shown a surprising amount a maturity when she forgave Grace. However, he would still always see her as his little sister. She was a rose, growing up in a world of thorns.

"Captain Jack?"

He looked up to see Achilles poking her head through the door. Making a motion to stay quiet, he crept over to the door so as to not wake Rosehip. He stepped out into the hall, gently closing the door behind him.

"What is it, Achilles?"

"You have two letters from the Federation," she said, handing him the envelopes.

"I'm guessing one of them is about the selection date for the tournament," Jack said, opening the letters.

Just as he guessed, the first one he opened was a formal invite for the selection. It detailed the time and place, but he wasn't too worried about that. After all, he would be attending with Darjeeling, who had been there multiple times. As he looked at the second letter, he began to smile.

"Achilles, you remember how I joined the single-crew match, right?"

"Yeah, I heard they were starting that tournament sooner than the regular one," she replied.

"Well, this is the date and location of the first match." He turned his smile to her. "It's in three days. Can you feel it? Something big is about to happen."


	6. 4. Who Wants Italian?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Announcement: I'm changing the update schedule to every Wednesday for the sake of my sanity (that is, what little of it I have left).
> 
> Also, still accepting suggestions for which schools you want to see St. Thomas' face off against!
> 
> Apparently they don't accept lemons as currency in this world, so...I don't own Girls Und Panzer.

Chapter Four: Who Wants Italian?

"Is this normal?" Jack asked Darjeeling.

"Not for the first round, no," she responded, shocked.

They both looked at the massive crowd that had gathered for the first round of the single-crew tournament. If one didn't know better, they would think it was the final round of the regular tankery tournament. Banners and flags poked up from the mass, showing support for contestants.

Multiple screens were stationed around the area. Since the rounds weren't scheduled to start for another hour, the screens only displayed the match-ups that would be featured. What many had thought would only be a simple event had turned into a large fair.

"Who are you up against?" Jack asked.

"The commander of Count Academy, Marina Constantinescu," Darjeeling answered. "We're in the second set of matches. How about you?"

"Another commander," he replied. "You probably know her. It's-"

"Captain Jack! Over here!"

Whatever Jack was about to say was cut off as Spitfire called him. The fiery red-head was a Cromwell commander and the squad leader of Jet squad, and had a rather boisterous personality. Behind her was the entire rest of St. Thomas' Academy tankery team, plus Rosehip. After what happened with Grace, the team took it upon themselves to be Rosehip's bodyguards.

They had all come out to support Jack in his match. There were also some other matches that had caught their interest. It was the perfect opportunity. They could cheer on their commander and do some recon at the same time. This was a team that took every opportunity they could.

Which is why Darjeeling found it interesting that only Jack had entered in the tournament. Normally at least two or three crews from each school had entered. Aside from herself, Rosehip and Rukuriri had also entered in the tournament. However, not even one of the Centurions had entered.

Just as she thought about this, Darjeeling found herself facing Aphrodite, the squad leader for the Centurions of Phalanx Squad. The stunningly beautiful blonde was certainly an eye-catcher.

Not that Darjeeling was jealous.

"Say, Aphrodite," Darjeeling began, "I've been wondering about this for a while. Why is Jack the only one from your school to participate in this tournament?"

Aphrodite gave a small giggle that would make many men blush.

Nope, Darjeeling most definitely was not jealous.

"It's because of Captain Jack," Aphrodite responded. "He trained all of us. Going up against him would be like trying to stop Helen from loving Paris. You can't stop the inevitable."

An odd comparison, but it conveyed the message. Since he trained them, he knew how they worked, and how to defeat them.

"Personally, I just want to watch the carnage, not experience it," a tan boy with messy red hair interjected.

"Ares, that didn't sound romantic at all," sighed Aphrodite. "Think about it. Two crews go out into the field and lay their hearts out in battle. Isn't that beautiful?"

Jack and Darjeeling simply walked off as the two continued their conversation. Once Aphrodite and Ares got going, there was no stopping them. It made for some interesting moments in the garage.

Approaching the preparation area, Jack's crew was sitting around on the Firefly. Standing by them were Orange Pekoe and Assam. Whatever conversation they were having was quickly dropped as Jack and Darjeeling approached.

"Is Thumper all ready?" Jack asked his crew.

"Transmission's good," replied Scott with a nod.

"Ammunition's loaded," Sara said with a thumbs-up.

"We're just waiting on you, Jack," answered Jon.

"Good," Jack said with a smile. "Now, let's blow that P40 out of the tournament."

Darjeeling stopped at Jack's statement. There was only one person that commanded a P40 that she knew of.

"Jack, you don't mean…"

"Yep. Our first opponent is Anchovy, commander of Anzio Girls High School."

**********

"Anchovy's P40 is unable to battle. Jack's Firefly wins the match!"

Jack grinned, leaning his back against the edge of the commander's copula. This battle was really fun. Anchovy was actually a really good tactician by herself. She was actually able to get a shot that glanced off the side of his turret. Unfortunately for her, that shot gave away her position. One shot into the side of her tank was all it took.

Sometimes it felt like cheating to have a 17-pounder.

Jack was broken out of his reverie by Anchovy walking up to his tank. It was clear that she was upset, but still tried to smile. That was the trademark of a good commander, being able to take a loss and not let it get to you. Jack could see that in her.

"I guess we didn't really have a chance against your 17-pounder, did we?" Anchovy griped.

"Actually, you surprised me when you got a shot on me," Jack responded with a small laugh. "My head is still ringing slightly from the impact."

Anchovy's smile became noticeably more genuine. Jack was taught a while ago that honest praise is the best way to help someone take a loss. She laughed a little with Jack, then continued with her invitation.

"Anzio is hosting a big party for all the contestants and spectators," she explained. "Since you beat me, I want your crew to come as my guests of honor."

"It'd be our pleasure," Jack replied. "Here, let us help you out a bit."

Before Anchovy could question what Jack meant by that, he had jumped out of the turret with two steel cable. He quickly attached them to the back of his Firefly, then ran them back to Anchovy's P40. He turned back to Anchovy, grinning.

"Your tracks are still okay, so we'll tow you back to the prep area. Now, hop on and let's go!"

**********

Jack had never been to anything like Anzio's party, if it even fit that term. It was more like a carnival itself. There were multiple food booths set up, and each was run by a different club. The tankery team had about three booths to its name. Of course, all the food was Italian, but that didn't bother Jack.

He watched Darjeeling's match with special interest. Staying true to her form, she relied on the thick armor of her Churchill Mk. VII in a fortified position. Marina's Panzer IV Ausf. G was methodically tracked then eliminated with two well placed shots by Assam. Seeing as how it was very likely that they would face off against each other, Jack was plotting how to best overcome the Churchill's armor.

Currently, though, all that planning and plotting was put on hold as Jack enjoyed Anzio's hospitality. He needed this break. He needed time to relax and simply enjoy the moment.

Because come tomorrow, the regular tankery tournament would begin.


	7. 5. Selection, Please!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up! Other languages present! This chapter features German and French!
> 
> Looks like I left the rights to GUP in my other pants, so...I don't own Girls Und Panzer.

Chapter Five: Selection, Please!

It hadn't been long since they had taken off from the carrier. Since it was just the two captains who needed to be at the drawing, there was no sense in steering the entire ship to the meeting. So Jack and Darjeeling were flown there in a de Havilland Albatross.

Darjeeling watched Jack from across the plane, wondering if he was sleeping. He was sitting against the wall with his head back and eyes closed. His breathing was even and measured. It certainly seemed like he was asleep.

But every so often his face would twitch. It was almost imperceptible, just the slightest movement at the corner of his mouth. It was this that caused Darjeeling to doubt he was sleeping.

They suddenly hit some turbulence, causing the plane to shake. Jack's eyes flew open, his hands gripping the armrests of his seat.

Apparently he hadn't been sleeping.

Darjeeling giggled at the spectacle. Yes, it wasn't very lady-like of her to do so, but she couldn't stop herself. Usually Jack was very calm and collected. Yet now he seemed jumpy and uneasy. The contrast was rather amusing.

"I'm glad at least one of us is having a good time," Jack quipped.

"I'm sorry, Jack," Darjeeling responded. "Don't like flying?"

"I'm just more comfortable with 35 tonnes of steel beneath me than I am with 5,000 meters of air."

Darjeeling simply laughed once more at his statement. While she didn't have any problems with aircraft, she could understand the sentiment. It just felt right being in a tank.

**********

Jack looked around in wonder as they approached the building where the selection was held. He never thought he would find himself there. He was resigned to his role as a bystander. Then the rule change came, and he was here, walking into a building with the schools he had so long watched.

Of course, being a boy, he drew a lot of attention. In fact, Jack didn't think he saw a single other male there. Which made sense. With tankery being a female-only sport for so long, a male commander was quite a radical change.

"Guten Tag, Mechaniker."

Jack stopped upon hearing that. German. The voice. And there was only one person in the world that called him "Mechaniker". Smiling, Jack turned around to greet the blonde that called out to him.

"Guten Tag, Erika," he replied. "It's been a while. How are you?"

"Wait, you two know each other?" Darjeeling interjected, thoroughly confused.

"We met while he was helping Kuromorimine," Erika said.

"I was there on an internship," Jack explained. "Long story short, to be close to tankery I joined the Heavy Mechanics course at St. Thomas'. Kuromorimine offers internships to students in the course to work on their tanks. I was assigned to Erika's Tiger II."

With that explained, the group then proceeded into the auditorium. It was amazing for Jack to think that all of the commanders were here in this building. Many had even brought their Second-In-Command with them. It was a surprising amount of people there.

Of course, with many people, there are also many differing opinions. Especially concerning boys and tanks. As Jack was about to discover, some of those opinions weren't very supportive.

"Beurk! Who allowed this scélérat to enter here?"

None of them understood the French, but the tone of the voice made the intention clear. All three of them turned to face the speaker. She wore a BC Freedom High School uniform and a sneer on her otherwise pretty face.

"Pardon?" Jack said.

"You don't belong here. Don't you know?" The girl narrowed her brown eyes. "Or are you just here mess around?"

Whoever this blonde stranger was, Darjeeling quickly decided that she didn't like her attitude. Yet before she could step in, Jack put a hand on her shoulder. A gentle shake of his head was all he gave her.

"Not worth it," Jack said, walking away.

It was then he spotted someone he knew.

**********

Although only the commanders really needed to come to the selection, the entire Anglerfish crew made the trip. It was a bit of a fiasco to get Mako on the plane, considering her fear of heights, but she soon fell asleep once they were on their way. Miho smiled as the group approached the building.

"Miporin, there's a guy!"

"Of course there is, Saori," Miho responded. "They're allowed to do tankery now, too."

"No, I mean he's coming over here," Saori clarified.

Miho looked over where Saori was focused. Sure enough, there was a boy walking towards them. His uniform was one that Miho had never seen before. He was wearing a blue collared shirt with the first few buttons undone, a white t-shirt, and black slacks. However, there was something about him that seemed very familiar.

It was then that Miho recognized the jet-black hair.

"Jack?"

"You know him?" Saori said, looking at Miho with surprise.

"He interned as a tank mechanic while I was at Kuromorimine," Miho explained.

Saori looked back at the approaching male. Good looking and was also interested in tanks? That was almost too good to be true. Saori quickly did a once-over of herself, trying to look as good as possible. She could feel herself blushing, but that was okay. In her experience, guys find girls who blush a lot cuter.

"Hi there, I'm Miporin's friend Saori…"

She trailed off as he went right by her and straight to Miho.

"Guten Tag, Miho! Wie gehts?" Jack greeted her.

"Mir geht es gut, Jack," Miho responded with a smile. "You're German is getting much better."

"Ms. Nishizumi, you speak German?" Yukari exclaimed.

"Why does this always happen to me?" Saori moaned.

A tone rang out over the speaker system, signaling that it was time to enter the auditorium. The doors were opened, and everyone began to fill in. Jack shrugged and grinned at Miho.

"We'll catch up later, okay? You better introduce me to your friends, too!" he said as he ran off.

**********

"St. Thomas' Academy draws number fifteen!"

Jack looked back at the display to see who their opponent would be. Unfortunately, that spot hadn't been filled yet. Jack simply shrugged and walked off the stage. He returned to his seat, Darjeeling sitting next to him.

"Did you know that in a 3x3 magic square, all directions add up to fifteen?" she asked as he sat down.

"Let's hope our debut in the tournament is just a magical," Jack quipped.

Darjeeling struggled to contain her laughter as the next school's representative took the stage. She was somewhat surprised to find that it was Mika. Darjeeling was under the impression that Mike mostly did her own thing, regardless of the federation.

"Jatkosota High School draws number sixteen!"

Jack watched as the school's name appeared next to St. Thomas' Academy. Now he knew who he would be facing in the first round. Unfortunately, he didn't know much about Jatkosota High School. He turned to ask Darjeeling a question, but stopped when he saw her face.

It was full of pity, as though the match had already been decided.


End file.
